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Susan Bell Faed

Susan Bell Faed was born at Barlay Mill, Gatehouse of Fleet in 1827, the only daughter of James Faed and Mary McGeoch.  It is likely that she was named after a cousin, Susan Bell, who lived locally.  Susan's older brothers John, James and Thomas all went on to pursue long and productive artistic careers.  Her youngest brother George showed artistic talent but died in 1852 and her brother William emigrated that same year to Australia where he became a successful farmer.

 

Like many women in Victorian Scotland, Susan spent much of her life caring for other members of her family, which may have limited her opportunities to paint.  Following her eldest brother Johns departure for Edinburgh in 1840 and her father's death in 1842 the family gravitated towards Edinburgh, where they were all living at the time of the 1851 census.  However, Susan soon returned to Gatehouse with her mother and they eventually settled at Fleet Bank, where she remained till her mother's death in 1866.

 

Susan exhibited works at the Royal Scottish Academy from Gatehouse of Fleet in 1867 and from the London home of her brother Thomas in 1868 and 1883.  A painting The Country Lass was shown at the Royal Academy from her home at Fleet Bank, Gatehouse in 1866 and further works were shown from Thomas' address in 1867 and 1868.  The whereabouts of these works is not known.  At the 1871 census she was in Brighton with Thomas and his son John and is described as an artist painter and in 1881 she was with her brother James and his family in Edinburgh.

 

An important day for the whole Faed family was the opening of the Town Hall in Gatehouse on 11 August 1885.  The ceremony was conducted by Thomas Faed and Susan and John's wife, Jane, pulled back the curtains to reveal the splendid painting of Gatehouse which John had presented to the town.  Susan also contributed four works to the first exhibition of the Kirkcudbrightshire Fine Art Association, which was held in December 1886 and organised by E. A. Hornel, James Guthrie and George Henry.

 

In 1887 at the age of 59 she married a widower John Walthew of Stockport but he sadly died two years later.

 

Susan finally settled at Ardmore, Gatehouse, following the death of John's wife in September 1897 and she died there in 1909.  She is buried alongside her brother John and his wife in Girthon cemetery.

A Galloway Farm

A Galloway Farm

Fishing Boat at a Breakwater

Fishing Boat at a Breakwater